New Grounds
by r.a.jones
Summary: Bella drives out to rural Northwest Illinois to meet her cousin, Tiff. Little does she know she will encounter a hunk of a man, Edward, who is able to introduce her to more than just the lay of the land. Feel free to review any thoughts!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is my very first fanfiction story, so bare with me here. Share your thoughts if you'd like to and thanks for reading! More to come. Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga.

**Chapter 1**

"What do you want?"

_What do you want?_

Four words. A simple question. Rolls of the tip of my tongue, _What do you want_? But the answer just does not come simply. I know have to give an answer confidently, intelligently, like I know what I'm doing here. What am I kidding? I do not know what I'm doing here.

"A, uh, small iced caramel… macho… macchiato please."

Phew that went better than I expected. I have trouble ordering coffee from McDonald's, never mind Starbucks.

"Your name, Miss?"

_Finally a question I can confidently answer at this place._

"Bella, thank you."

Five minutes later the blonde haired cashier called out, "Small iced caramel macchiato for Fella!" _Sigh._ _Close enough._

The only reason I even came here is because it was conveniently right across the parking lot from the gas station I filled up at, and I'm tired as hell from driving through Iowa all day. Charlie decided to join the rest of the world on Facebook a couple months ago, and he met up with his long lost fourth cousin (or something like that) from Northwest Illinois. They communicated for a while and decided that it would be a phenomenal idea for me to drive out to meet her. _Yeah_, s_uch a phenomenal idea, Dad._

"That's mine, thank you. By the way, do you know how far it is to Dubuque from here?"

Dubuque is where I'll be crossing the Mississippi River, where I'll finally be leaving Iowa and entering Illinois.

"You're quite welcome, Fella! And oh I would guess about an hour or so, give or take a few minutes."

I don't know much about Northwest Illinois; I feel like nobody does besides the people who actually live there. Apparently it's great in June. I guess I'll just have to trust Cousin Tiffany's word. Or Tiff. Charlie said people call her Tiff.

"Alright, awesome thank you."

_Just one more hour of corn fields._ _Give or take a few minutes._

"Have a great day, Fella!"

_Fella._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Caffeine is exactly what I needed for the last leg of this trip, and I just finish slurping the up the last bit of coffee when I see the sign I have been waiting for for so long now. _Welcome to Dubuque, Iowa._

_Finally._

Tiff was right, though. It _is_ beautiful here in June. I get to the bridge to cross the Mississippi into Illinois and the water shimmers. The trees on top the river bluffs are greener than green, and I roll my window down a notch to get some warm summer air in the truck. The summer breeze blows in, and the scent of running river water and fresh laundry dance around. Something else is mixed in however, something new. Something exciting. Maybe driving out into, seemingly, the middle of nowhere to meet Long Lost Tiff will be less of a burden than I imagined. They say the sensory area of the brain is connected to the part which involves the creation of memories, that smells can trigger memories and make them stronger. And I already know I want my little journey to be remembered as something special.

According to my GPS I have about half an hour of driving until I reach Tiff's house now that I have officially crossed the Illinois border. She explained to be that she doesn't live in town, she lives out in the country. Maybe this is exactly what I need. It will be like my own little vacation spot, nobody else but me and Tiff and this phenomenal summer breeze. I picture all of the corny books I've read that take place in a country house. _The Notebook_. Ha, yeah me and Tiff can read poetry on her back porch and gaze at the stars together while watching the sun set. Stellar.

I think back to Charlie, back to right before I left. He embraced me and told me I should explore new options. _Explore new options…_ _Options._ "Options" implies "consideration." What am I supposed to be "considering," Charlie? I like home back in Forks, so I definitely would not be "considering" living (of all places) in Illinois. It's beautiful here, no doubt, but Forks is where my heart is.

_What else could he mean by "options?"_

_Dammit I over think everything_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"TURN RIGHT IN 1 MILE. DESTINATION IS ON YOUR RIGHT."

Almost there. I have butterflies. Is that weird? Can you get butterflies before meeting a long lost cousin? I see Tiff's mailbox, at the top of a long gravel lane. I pull off the road and begin down her lane, shaded by beautiful large oak and maple trees on either side, each full with green summer foliage. Sunlight streams through and dances on the gravel as I drive down a steep hill. The tree line breaks as I take a sharp left, and the lane opens up into a gorgeous view of rolling hills, fields, and timber. Likewise, Tiff's house is stunning. Chestnut colored brick. Two stories with large, radiant windows on either side of the house; I can see straight through it. A screened-in porch. And Tiff standing outside of her front door waiting eagerly for me as I pull to an easy stop in front of her house. I get out of my truck to finally greet Tiff. Damn my legs are stiff.

"Bella! Bella Bella Bella! I just got off the phone with Charlie, he figured you would have been arriving soon! It's so nice to finally meet you!"

Tiff's definitely energetic. Some people are so natural at meeting others. Their eyes light up, their smile is genuine. They make you feel comfortable. Like you belong with them. I was not blessed with that gift. I was blessed with awkwardness.

"Tiff! It's great to see you too! You have a beautiful house."

Tiff smiled humbly as she looked back at her abode. At least I know I will be living comfortably this summer. A German shepherd races around from the back yard, obviously excited to see his new visitor.

"Hey no jumping! Bella this is Sarge; it's short for Sargent. He's the man of the house here, or the property rather- he's not allowed inside for obvious reasons," Tiff laughs. Sarge trots over to greet me, nearly tripping over his over-sized tail in doing so.

"Hey big guy!" I say as I give Sarge a good ear scratch.

Speaking of big guy, I spot somebody mulching around the bushes that line the side of Tiff's garden shed. His biceps and triceps define his arms as he shovels red woodchips out from the box of a pick-up. The sun causes the sweat to glisten on his muscular back, and he pauses shoveling mulch for a moment to remove the ball cap from his head and wipe his forehead dry. Hardworking, definitely. At least 20, definitely. And out of my league, most definitely. He glances towards me.

_Gosh Bella look away, you're so good at staring at people! You wonder why Jacob teases you for being so awkward. Jacob. I should probably call him when I get inside and situated, let him know I arrived safely. Well, him and Charlie._

Sarge decides he's had enough ear scratching for the time being, and Tiff invites me inside and offers to help me carry my bags. Maybe this will be the only afternoon mulch-boy will be here and he'll leave as soon as he's done with his landscaping. I could only hope.

_You're so awkward, Bella. So damned awkward._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I enter Tiff's house behind her, and immediately am in awe with the high ceilings, dark hard-wood floors, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances. On the other side of her kitchen is a pair of sliding glass doors, revealing a deck and a beautiful view. Apparently she has a pond in her back yard also. Only one word streams through my mind: _stunning._ I follow Tiff down a long hallway, and she opens up one of the doors, revealing the room I will call my own for a couple months. I guess I get my own little deck as well, spotting yet another sliding glass door on the other side of the room. The view faces toward the backyard- of the pond and all of the wonderful rolling hills of Northwest Illinois. I notice a wooden rocking chair out on the deck, definitely a perfect place to finish _Wuthering Heights_ for the eighth or eleventh time.

"Thanks Tiff, yeah you can just drop my suitcases right there."

"I'll start on some supper, I'm sure you're starving after a long drive!"

Tiff walks out of the room and I have some alone time to get my belongings situated.

_Really, Bella, this summer will be great for you. Beautiful house. Beautiful property. Pond equipped with dock. Charlie and Jacob are just a call away when you miss them. Tiff seems nice, and she is very approachable. This is new. New grounds. New is exciting, Bella. New is exciting._

I decide it's probably a good idea to call Charlie at least and let him know I have arrived safe and sound. I can let Jacob know later. I dial Charlie's number, but he doesn't answer. _Huh. Guess I'll have to try again later._

As I begin to put my clothes into dresser drawers, I can't help but think about mulch-boy. I approximated his age to be around twenty, my age, but maybe high school kids around here look exotically older, like how they do in the movies. Subconsciously I wish that he actually is my age. Subconsciously I wish that perhaps he will be showing up at Tiff's house again. _What was that thought, Bella? What am I thinking? I am here to enjoy my summer, not worry about some landscaping guy. He looked like he could potentially be a douche anyways. You do not want to get tangled up in a douche, Bella. Charlie nor Jacob would approve._

My phone rings. It's Charlie. Perfect timing to distract me from my thoughts.

"Dad! Hello! Hey yeah I tried to call you earlier but you didn't answer."

"Sorry about that cupcake, I just got inside from mowing the lawn. Beautiful day here, it's actually sunny for once. Enough about me though, Bells, how was your drive? How's Tiff?"

"Tiff is great, really. She's fixing up some dinner right now. It is great here Dad. It's extremely beautiful, and Tiff has a gorgeous house. Maybe you should have come too."

"Would have if I could have, Bells. You know how things are at the police department though, always something or somebody to deal with. I would have felt bad taking more than a couple days off."

"I know, I know," I sigh. "Anyways… I have a deck connected to by bedroom! I'm sure it'll serve great star-gazing purposes this summer."

"Well hey that sounds like a perk. I hope you won't spend your whole summer with your nose to the sky though." Charlie's voice trails off. I pick up what he's putting down.

"Dad, yeah I know. I'll be productive. I plan to do some job hunting in the area within the next couple days. I want to see if Tiff has any suggestions first."

"Good, Bells, good. A job will help you to meet new people, and it will be nice to have a little extra jingle in your pocket for when you return to college in the fall."

I hear Tiff call from the kitchen.

"Well, Dad, Tiff's calling. Supper is ready to be served. It was great talking to you, Dad."

"Glad to hear things are going smoothly so far. Keep in contact, alright, Bells? Don't let all those Illinois boys sweep you off of your feet too quickly, you hear?"

I spray some spit all over the receiving end of my cell-phone. "Ha, Dad yeah I don't think that is going to be problematic. I'll keep in touch! Love you."

I wipe off my phone and close it shut. Ha. Boys. Right. It's definitely time to get a good meal in.

"Coming, Tiff! It smells great!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Tiff already has the table set when I come out to the dining room. I look over the elegant plates, bowls, and silverware she has set out, and notice a third place at the table set.

"Everything looks great, Tiff!" I eye the third set of tableware. "Are you expecting more company?"

"Oh yes! I was going to mention it to you, but I figured I would give you a chance to settle in a little bit first. I hired the neighbor boy to do my yard work and landscaping for me over the summer. These bones aren't taking the 40's as great as I had expected them too," Tiff laughs. "Anyways, he did some landscaping for me this afternoon, and so I figured it would be courteous enough to invite him to join us for dinner, don't you think?"

_'Don't you think?' Don't you think? Great, phenomenal. The guy who caught me staring at him shoveling mulch. Coming over. To eat with us. I have been driving in a truck all day. I haven't showered since yesterday afternoon. My deodorant is probably not even effective anymore. My breath most likely still smells like Starbuck's coffee. The guy who caught me staring at him! This is just your luck Bella. Stellar._

"Oh he must have left by the time I arrived because I never noticed him! But yeah Tiff, that sounds great! It will be nice to dive in right away and meet some new people."

_Smooth, Bella, smooth._

I continue, "However, I should probably clean up a little more quickly if you are expecting another person. Wash my face, put on some clean clothes. Wouldn't want your guest to think you have some kind of crazy relative from Washington!"

Tiff chuckles, "Go right ahead Bella, I'm sure Edward won't arrive for another ten minutes anyways."

_Edward._

"Alright, I'll be back in a minute!" I say as I escape back down the hallway and into my room.

_What am I going to do; what am I going to wear? My hair. My hair is probably a rat's nest._

I grab a fresh grey V-neck out of the dresser drawer. My favorite pair of blue jeans. My deodorant. Some Bath and Body Works perfume. Maybe if I douse myself in _Japanese Cherry Blossom_ the smell of travel will not be as apparent. I change quickly then head to the bathroom a couple doors down the hallway to put my hair up in a more presentable way than this messy bun.

_Why do you care so much, Bella?_

Honestly I can't even answer that question. I'm probably just tired. I probably should get a good night's sleep after this. That's all. I finish tying my hair into an alright pony tail and spritz on some of that perfume. After opening a couple drawers under the sink, I find a stack of neatly folded clean washcloths. I wet them, and the cold water feels good on my face. It settles me down a little bit, even. Eases my anxiety.

_This will be ok. He is no different than Charlie, or Jacob, or anybody else who you know. He has probably already forgotten about you from this afternoon anyways. Hell, with his looks he probably has a girlfriend of his own. You are overthinking, overreacting, and slightly ridiculous. Chill._

I hang the washcloth up on the towel bar next to the sink, and make my way back into the dining room. Tiff looks up from setting down some extra napkins and smiles at me. The doorbell rings. Here we go.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Tiff opens her front door with a large smile on her face. "Edward, come in come in! You clean up rather nicely after baking in the sun all afternoon. Let me introduce you to my cousin Bella," Tiff exclaims as she gestures towards me. Edward finishes taking his shoes off, and Tiff leads him over towards the table to meet me.

"Edward this is my cousin Bella Swan, Bella this is my neighbor boy Edward Cullen."

Edward looks sternly at me, his face is tanned from the sun and completely free of any imperfections. Even his eyes are the perfect hazel. Much different from my pasty complexion and lack of color. He extends his hand, callused, I notice. "It's nice to meet you, Bella Swan." _He included my last name?_ He grips my hand firmly and shakes as if he has just closed a large business deal.

"It's nice to meet you too, Edward…Cullen." I can't keep hold of his eye contact though, and my eyes sweep down to the floor.

Tiff's smile covers her entire face. "Great! Now I'll go grab the lasagna out of the kitchen quickly! Hang tight!"

The kitchen is connected to the dining room, so even though Tiff does not go out of sight, I still feel very alone with this "neighbor boy" Edward as he sits down in the seat at the left edge of the table.

I look up at him, but he's already looking at me. Sharply. As if he can see straight through my body. My eyes quickly drop down into my lap. _Why is he looking at me like that? What the hell?_

He breaks the silence and my heart jumps a little higher in my chest. "I saw you this afternoon."

_Well shit._

I let out a muffled laugh of awkwardness. "Haaa, yeah I sure picked a nice day to arrive to Tiff's. Great weather we're having."

_'Great weather we're having.' What, am I in a nursing home?_

"Yeah, something like that," Edward replies coldly.

_What is this guy's problem?_

Again, I let out another muffled laugh. "Haa, yeah… How was… mulching?"

"Great."

_Damn Tiff how long does it take to bring a lasagna back from the kitchen? _I glance over my shoulder to see if she is on her way yet. Finally she comes bearing the food. I see Edward's face soften. _Huh. Maybe he's just hungry. Boys and their food._

"Dinner is served!" Tiff must have been a waitress at some point in time, because not only is she carrying the pan of lasagna, but she has hold of green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and a bowl of corn.

"Mmm Tiff this looks scrumptious!" I immediately begin to dig in to the lasagna and the mashed potatoes. I notice Edward takes a large portion of lasagna, and much smaller portions of everything else. Must be an Italian boy.

"Edward thank you again for your beautiful landscaping job!" Tiff praises.

"Really, it was my pleasure. You have such an elegant house with a gorgeous view. It's expected that you should have a beautiful property to match it all. I'm humbled to be the hired man."

_Geesh Edward where is this all coming from?_

Tiff's face turns a shade of red as she blushes. "Oh Edward you are such a fine young man! How old are you now? Twenty?"

"You're close, Miss Carter," Edward's eyes are soft and playful as he looks up at Tiff. "Just turned twenty-one last month."

Tiff eats this Edward kid up. "Oh how phenomenal! You're just barely older than Bella then! You're pushing twenty-one, aren't you Bella?"

I can feel by cheeks warming up now that the attention is on me. Announcing my age has always been rather embarrassing to me, for opposite reasons than why age is hidden, I feel. I have always thought I look much younger than I really am, and I have always gotten the notion that people are secretly embarrassed when I tell them I am almost twenty-one. Most people would probably have guessed sixteen.

"Yes, in mid-July actually."

"Oh wonderful, just as I thought! Don't worry, Bella, I will bake you a beautiful cake, and maybe Edward will come over and help us eat it!" Tiff smiles her toothy smile up at Edward, who is directly across the table from her. He smirks.

"Oh of course, Miss Carter. If your lasagna tastes this delicious, I cannot fathom how delightful your dessert would be."

I am getting even warmer in my seat. I've finished eating my small piece of lasagna and I am exceptionally full for my portion size.

"Tiff, this meal has been wonderful. Edward, it has been a pleasure meeting you. I'm afraid that I am awfully worn out from traveling all day today, so I believe I will clean up and hit the hay."

"You can leave your dishes on the table, Bella, I can take care of them later!"

"Thanks Tiff." I give Edward a quick grin and push my chair back into the table. As I turn to go back down the hallway, I feel eyes burning into my back. However, I cannot turn around. I get to my bedroom door and close it as soon as I'm inside. I swiftly open the sliding glass door that leads out to my own little deck. I didn't even realize how long I was holding my breath. The fresh air feels comforting to my face. I breathe in. I breathe out. It's time for a shower. It's time to get some sleep.


End file.
